COAL MINER'S DAUGHTER Musical In the Works, Starring Sutton Foster

BroadwayWorld has just learned that the music and life story of beloved country music icon and legend  Loretta Lynn will be celebrated and depicted in a new stage musical, COAL MINER’S DAUGHTER, starring Tony Award-winner Sutton Foster.  

The production is in development under the direction of Tony Award-winner Sam Gold.  Music Production is by Tony Award-winner Jeanine Tesori. Gold and Tesori last worked  together on the Tony Award-winning musical Fun Home. Loretta Lynn's manager, producer, and daughter, Patsy Lynn, and longtime adviser,  Nancy Russell, will act as consulting producers. 

Inspired by the award-nominated 1980 film and autobiography by Loretta Lynn and  George Vecsey, Coal Miner's Daughter chronicles Loretta’s rise from humble beginnings  in rural Kentucky to country music legend. The stage adaptation will include songs from  Loretta’s career and share stories from Loretta’s life beyond the film’s ending. 

This is not the first report of a Loretta Lynn musical. In 2012 it was announced that Lynn herself chose Zooey Deschanel to portray her in COAL MINER'S DAUGHTER on Broadway. That production never came to be. 

This stage version of COAL MINER'S DAUGHTER will tell the remarkable story of country music legend Loretta Lynn, from her impoverished Kentucky childhood, to her unlikely and triumphant rise to become the First Lady of Country Music and one of the greatest women of her generation.

The creative team and dates for COAL MINER'S DAUGHTER will be announced at a later date. The schedule will not conflict with Deschanel's current commitment to the hit FOX TV show, "New Girl," on which she stars and produces.

Loretta Lynn, one of country music’s most iconic figures, left an indelible mark on the  genre with a career spanning over six decades. Known for her powerful storytelling and  unapologetically honest lyrics, she sold over 45 million records worldwide and earned  numerous accolades, including multiple Grammy Awards, Country Music Association  (CMA) awards, and a Presidential Medal of Freedom. Her legacy includes timeless hits  such as “Coal Miner’s Daughter,” “You Ain’t Woman Enough,” and “The Pill.” Lynn’s  career, which began in the early 1960s, was marked by its longevity and influence. She  passed away on October 4, 2022, at the age of 90, leaving behind a profound impact on  music and culture. 

"We are so grateful to see that our mother's life story and music will continue to touch  the hearts of audiences and remain an important statement of the American dream,”  said the family of Loretta Lynn. “As one of the last creative projects our mom was so  passionate about, we are thankful that she had the opportunity to experience the initial  stages of Sutton's sincere portrayal of Loretta. Mom absolutely fell in love with her and  thought she was just the right person to play her onstage. The family is moved by this  incredible team's commitment to her legacy." 

The producing team committed to bringing the iconic story of Loretta Lynn’s life to the  stage include Broadway veterans Kristin Caskey, Mike Isaacson, Bee Carrozzini, and ATG  Entertainment. 

Released on March 7, 1980, Coal Miner’s Daughter received seven Academy Award  nominations including Best Picture and Best Writing and Sissy Spacek won the Academy  Award for Best Actress in a Leading Role. Coal Miner’s Daughter was also awarded Best  Motion Picture by the Golden Globes, National Board of Review, National Film  Preservation Board and the Academy of Country Music Awards.